THOMAS TWINEY LO332

CLYRO  M245

Official No:  143849    Port Number and Year:  617th in London, 1920 (LO332)                                                                                     2nd in Milford, 1922

Description: Castle Class steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail, mizzen.

Crew:  10 men (1922).

Registered at Milford: 4 Jan 1922

Built: 1917 by Smith's Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough.  (Yard no. 707)

Tonnage: 275.13 grt  107.43 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  125.5  / 23.4 / 12.85

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 61 hp.10 kts.  Engine: 1917, by builders; boiler: 1917, by Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle on Tyne.

Owners:   As THOMAS TWINEY LO332 19 Feb 1920: The Admiralty, London. Manager: The Secretary, Admiralty, Whitehall, London SW1.   18 May/Jun 1920:  Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, London.   1920:  Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society, London.   13 Aug 1920:  Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd., London.   4 Jan 1922: David Pettit Ltd., Docks, Milford Managing owner.  19 Jan 1922: As CLYRO M245.   7 Nov 1934: Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co. Ltd., Dock St., Fleetwood. Manager: Basil A. Parkes, 'Clydesdale', Whiteside Way, Cleveleys.

Landed at Milford: THOMAS TWINEY (LO332): 24 Mar 1920 - 12 Mar 1921; 8 Jan 1922.  CLYRO (M245) 19 Jan 1922 - 10 Jun 1934.

Skippers:

Notes:  Thomas Twiney, age 28, born Carmarthen; Quartermaster, HMS VICTORY, Trafalgar. Clyro is a village in Radnorshire, near the town of Hay-on-Wye; Francis Kilvert, the notable diarist, was curate in the village from 1865-72. 7 Sep 1917: Admy. No. 3528. Armament: 1x12pdr. Crew: 15, up to 18 with wireless. Completed as minesweeper.  1919:  Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I) as THOMAS TWINEY O.N.143849.   Engaged in commercial trawling on an opportunity basis. Mar 1920:  At HM Dockyard, Pembroke fitted out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100A1 Stm Trawler at Milford.  19 Feb 1920: Registered by The Admiralty as a fishing vessel at London (LO332). 2 Jan 1922: London registry closed; 4 Jan, registered at Milford and renamed CLYRO. 30 Oct 1932: Towed CAPSTONE to Milford. [See newspaper report below.] 13 Aug 1935: Sailed Ayr for fishing grounds. Stranded on Powder House Rock, Culzean Bay. Badly holed and making water, eight crew members abandoned. Girvan lifeboat stood by 00.30 am to 3.45 pm. Skipper and four crew members manned pumps but had to abandon when water level reached boiler room plates. Wreck subsequently thought to have been used as a target for a gunnery range and destroyed.  [Information from Gilbert Mayes. See also newspaper article below.]

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 21 Oct 1935. Vessel wrecked and total loss.

 

Accidents and Incidents

From The Times of Monday 31st October 1932, pg. 23; Issue 4646278:

CASUALTY REPORTS

(FROM LLOYDS)

CAPSTONE.- Fishguard Wireless Station, Oct.30.-   Following message from British trawler Capstone, times 11 a.m.:- Steam trawler Clyro is towing Capstone to Milford Haven with broken propeller, the latter vessel having struck submerged wreckage.

 

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From The Scotsman of Thursday 15th August 1935, p.6:

TRAWLER ASHORE

Girvan Lifeboat in Dash to Rescue

STANDS BY 12 HOURS

    Several hundred people in Girvan who were rudely awakened about midnight on Tuesday by the sound of rockets being fired and a ship's distress siren being blown, ran to the harbour and saw the Girvan lifeboat leave with an emergency crew on a voyage of rescue.

    News had been received that the Milford Haven trawler Clyro, M.245, owned by the Boston Deep Sea Fishing and Ice Company, Fleetwood, had gone ashore, and been holed on the rocks at Culzean Bay, Ayrshire, and the fear was expressed that the ship was also on fire, as tongues of flame were to be seen on deck.  It was ascertained later, however, that the crew had set some tar barrels alight as an added distress signal, and the vessel's danger, although great enough, was fortunately not added to by outbreak of fire.

    A calm sea was running, and the Girvan lifeboat soon reached the distressed ship.

    Previously, Ballantrae Rocket Lifesaving Brigade had been communicated with, and the brigade crew immediately set out for the scene of the wreck.

MAY BECOME A TOTAL WRECK

    It was found, however, that the immediate services of neither the lifeboatmen nor the rocket lifesaving brigade were required, as Mr Edward Flynn, Maidens, had put out from Maidens with some companions immediately after the Clyro had struck, and had taken off six of the fourteen men aboard.  The rescued men were given shelter and hospitality by Mrs. Flynn.

    Captain Stean, skipper of the Clyro, informed the lifeboatmen and rocket lifesaving crew that the vessel was not in any immediate danger, although there was a fear that she might list.  He and the remaining members of the crew elected to stay on board.

    The Girvan lifeboat stood by the Clyro for twelve hours, and then returned to Girvan, a Glasgow tug having arrived at Culzean Bay to stand by.

    It is stated that the Clyro may become a total wreck.

 

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